Omenugha hails appointment of female to head Oko Poly

KATE Omenugha, the Anambra State commissioner for Basic Education, has hailed the appointment of Dr Francisca Nwafulugo as substantive first female Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Oko.

The Institution is located in Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra.

Obini Onuchukwu, the institution’s public relations officer, PRO, had announced the appointment in a statement released to newsmen on March 5.

According to him, Nwafulugo, former chief lecturer in Chemical Engineering, Kaduna Polytechnic would succeed Izuchukwu Onu, who had been on acting capacity in the past 12 months.

Nwafulugo’s letter of appointment took effect from Feb. 4.

According to Omenugha, to say the truth, I am excited that two major federal Government institutions are headed by women – the Federal College of Education and now the polytechnic.

“Even the Anambra State College of Education, Nsugbe and the polytechnic at Mgbakwu are also headed by women.

“They women folks are doing well. That is why the Anambra State Government has been providing opportunities to women,’’ she said.

The commissioner noted that the women were equally as good as the men and if given a fair chance, the women easily get to the top.

Nwafulugo had emerged in the top spot out of the 17 other candidates who participated in the Rectorship interview which was conducted at the council chambers of the institution between Oct. 23 and Oct. 24, 2018.

Her name and two others – Christian Ezeudu and Chika Eni, chief lecturers at Federal Polytechnic, Oko, who emerged second and third were shortlisted and forwarded to the presidency for final the selection.

She would be the first female to emerge as Rector since the founding of the institution.

Nwafulugo attended the Institute of Management and Technology, IMT, Enugu, where she obtained a Higher National Diploma, HND, in 1991.

She proceeded to obtain a Post Graduate Diploma, PGD, in Education (Technical) from Kaduna Polytechnic in 2010.

She later obtained a PGD certificate in engineering in 1999 and also, Master’s Degree in Chemical Engineering (Process Analysis and Development Option) in 2002 both from Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State.

Nwafulugo proceeded to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria where she obtained her Doctor of Philosophy, PhD, in Chemical Engineering in 2014.

Nwafulugo is a member of six professional bodies and associations including Council of Registered Engineers of Nigeria, COREN, Nigerian Society of Engineers, NSE, and Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers, NSCHE.

She also belongs to the Association of Professional Women Engineers, APWEN, Waste Management Society of Nigeria, WAMSON, and Women in Technical Education and Employment, WITED, Kaduna Polytechnic.

He said that Nwafulugo is presently Patronness of NSCHE, Kaduna Polytechnic Students’ Chapter as well as the Kaduna Branch Chairman of APWEN.

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